tongzi

Tongzi may refer to Tongzi County in Guizhou Province, China, or to the Chinese term for a young boy.

Tongzi County (桐梓县) is a county in the northeast of Guizhou Province and is under the administration of Zunyi City. The county is situated in a mountainous part of the province, featuring the region’s characteristic hills, valleys, and waterways. Its economy is predominantly based on agriculture, forestry, and light manufacturing, with rural communities that produce a range of crops and crafts. Transportation connections to regional centers are primarily through provincial roads that link Tongzi with neighboring counties and cities.

The area has long been inhabited and forms part of Guizhou’s diverse ethnic landscape. In modern administrative terms, Tongzi County encompasses several towns and townships, with a population that includes Han Chinese and multiple ethnic minority communities common to the region. Local culture reflects the broader patterns of Guizhou, including traditional festivals, cuisine, and crafts.

In Chinese, the word tongzi (童子) literally means a young boy or child. It is used in everyday language and appears in religious and cultural contexts, where young male attendants or apprentices are sometimes referred to as tongzi. In temple and ritual settings, tongzi figures may be depicted as guardians or helpers associated with deities or spiritual practices.

See also: Tongzi (disambiguation) for other uses and place names.